Daily Current Affairs for State Exams: 23 December 2021

Daily Current Affairs 23/12/2021

Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002

Why in News

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah announced that the Centre has decided to amend the Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 to “plug the loopholes in the Act”.

Key Points

About Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002:

Cooperatives are a state subject, but there are many societies such as those for sugar and milk, banks, milk unions etc whose members and areas of operation are spread across more than one state.
The Act was passed to govern such cooperatives.
For example, most sugar mills along the districts on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border procure cane from both states.
They draw their membership from both states, and they are thus registered under the MSCS Act.

Note:

Since the law was enacted, 1,479 such societies have been registered, of which 9 have been deregistered since.
Maharashtra has the highest number at 567, followed by Uttar Pradesh (147) and New Delhi (133).
Credit societies constitute the bulk of registered societies at 610, followed by agro-based ones (which include sugar mills, spinning mills etc) at 244.
There are 96 multistate cooperative dairies and 66 multi state cooperative banks.

Definition:

The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) defines a Cooperative as “an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.”

Some Examples:

Indian Farmers Fertilisers Cooperative Limited (IFFCO)
AMUL
National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED)

Constitutional Provisions:

The Constitution (97th Amendment) Act, 2011 added a new Part IXB regarding the cooperatives working in India.

Source: Indian Express

DRDO conducts maiden launch of indigenously developed new generation surface-to-surface missile ‘Pralay’

Why in News

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted maiden flight test of indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile ‘Pralay’, from Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

Key Points

Pralay Missile is powered with a solid propellant rocket motor and many new technologies.
The missile has a range of 150-500 kilometre and can be launched from a mobile launcher.
The missile guidance system includes state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics.

Note: Earlier, the first set of indigenously developed next generation Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle was inducted into the Corps of Engineers of Indian Army.

Source: PIB

Use of Drone in Pesticide Application for Crop Protection and for spraying Soil and Crop Nutrients

Why in News

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare released Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for use of Drone in Pesticide Application for Crop Protection and for spraying Soil and Crop Nutrients.

Key Points

The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) commonly known as drones have great potential to revolutionize Indian agriculture and ensure the country’s food security.
The drones were used for the first time in warding off locust attacks in various states of the country.

Other Uses of Drone Technology in Agriculture:

Crop Monitoring
Optimum Nutrient Delivery
Better Crop Management

Rules for Drone Regulations in India: The National drone policy has been notified and the Drone Rules 2021 have been made significantly easier for people and companies in the country to now own and operate drones.

Source: PIB

Sports Ministry released ₹ 6,801.30 crore under various sports development schemes in the last 5 years

Why in News

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has released ₹ 6,801.30 crore under various sports development schemes in the last 5 years.
This information was given by the Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Anurag Thakur in Lok Sabha.

Key Points

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports runs the following schemes for the development of sports in the country, including at the village level:
Khelo India Scheme
Assistance to National Sports Federations
Special Awards to Winners in International Sports Events and their Coaches
National Sports Awards
Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Sports Welfare Fund
National Sports Development Fund
Running Sports Training Centres through Sports Authority of India

Note:

During the last five years, a sum of ₹ 7,072.28 crore was allocated and a sum of ₹ 6,801.30 crore was released under the various sports development schemes of this Ministry.

Source: PIB

NITI Aayog signs a Statement of Intent with United Nations World Food Program

Why in News

NITI Aayog signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).
The partnership focuses on mainstreaming of millets and supporting India in taking lead globally in knowledge exchange using the opportunity of 2023 as an International Year of Millets.

Key Points

Further, the partnership will aim at building resilient livelihoods for small-holder farmers and adaptation capacities to climate change and transforming food systems.
The Sol focuses on strategic and technical collaboration between NITI Aayog and WFP, to strengthen climate resilient agriculture for enhanced food and nutrition security in India.
Recognizing the importance of millets, the Government of India observed 2018 as a year of millets.
Leading this initiative further, Government of India spearheaded the UNGA resolution for declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
Numerous steps have been taken to promote millets including establishment of centre for Excellence, Integration of nutri-cereals in National Food Security Act and establishment of Millet Mission in multiple states.

Note: Recently, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) launched the first AgriTech Challenge cohort for its ambitious innovative Agri-tech program that aims to help smallholder farmers across Asia and Africa to address their challenges in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Source: PIB

53-member panel to mark Sri Aurobindo 150^th birth anniversary

Why in News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading an extensive 53-member committee that has been set up to mark the 150th birth anniversary of spiritual leader Sri Aurobindo.

Key Points

Besides the Prime Minister, the committee has Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, two former PMs — Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda — and several cabinet ministers, as per a Gazette notification released by the Ministry of Culture.
The 150th birth anniversary falls on August 15, 2022, and coincides with the India @75 celebrations mooted by the Centre, called Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Sri Aurobindo was born in Calcutta on August 15, 1872 and took a leading role in secret preparations for an uprising against the British government in India.

Source: Indian Express

PV Sindhu appointed BWF's Athletes' Commission member

Why in News

India's two-time Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu has been appointed as a member of the Badminton World Federation's (BWF) Athletes' Commission.

Key Points

The-26-year-old former world champion was named alongside five others who will serve as members till 2025.
Iris Wang (USA), Robin Tabeling (Netherlands), Greysia Polii (Indonesia), Kim Soyeong (South Korea), Pusarla V Sindhu (India) and Zheng Si Wei (China) are the ones appointed as members of the BWF Athletes’ Commission.
The Chair and Deputy Chair will be decided among the six members.

Note:

Sindhu, who won the silver medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016, created history by bagging the bronze medal in the Tokyo Games earlier this year.

Source: TOI

Odisha CM inaugurates longest bridge ‘T-Setu’ over Mahanadi River in Cuttack

Why in News

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated Odisha's longest bridge, ‘T-Setu’ over the Mahanadi River at Gopinathpur in Cuttack.

Key Points

The 3.4 km long bridge, connecting Gopinathpur in Badamba, Baideswar in Banki to Singhanath Pitha located in the middle of the river, has been built in the shape of the English alphabet ‘T’ at a cost of Rs 111 crore.
It will benefit over 5 lakh people as well as contribute to the development of tourism, agriculture and commerce in the region.

Source: Business Standard

Delhi to get first Teachers' University

Why in News

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Cabinet has approved a proposal to establish the 'Delhi Teachers University'.

Key Points

'Delhi Teachers University' Bill 2021 will be placed before the Delhi Vidhan Sabha in the coming session.
Delhi Teachers University' will be a public university dedicated to preparing excellent quality Teachers for the city across different school stages.
Admission to the new University will start for the academic session 2022-23.

Source: India Today

December 23, National Farmers Day

Why in News

National Farmers Day, or Kisan Diwas, is celebrated across the country on December 23 to honour India’s farmers and mark the birth anniversary of the nation’s fifth Prime Minister, Choudhary Charan Singh.

Key Points

History:

Chaudhary Charan Singh had introduced several welfare schemes for the farmers and wrote several books on farmers and their problems depicting various solutions to improve the lives of the farmers of the nation.
Therefore the government, in 2001, decided to mark Charan Singh's birth anniversary as Kisan Diwas.

Source: India Today